Wide receiver excited to be back in 2008

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Gazette-Times Reporter

Sammie Stroughter looks back at the last year and gains strength from overcoming all the obstacles set before him.

He is deeply religious, and knows the Job parallel well.

Stroughter lost loved ones and then his smile after a bout with depression. Football was even taken away temporarily and nearly permanently due to injury.

The senior wide receiver for the Oregon State football team received a reprieve in the form of a medical redshirt, giving him another shot at a final season.

“Mentally I’m stronger and physically I’m stronger with the things I’ve been through,” Stroughter said. “I’ve been through it all now, and there’s more to come. I went through what I went through, and I’m still smiling and having fun.”

Spring practice begins this afternoon, which will be his first practice since being injured Sept. 22 at Arizona State.

The Beavers are happy to have their top receiver back. And he’s thrilled to have the chance to finish his time here on a high.

“That’s a real bonus for us,” coach Mike Riley said. “It was hard to imagine life without him last year. To have him back and to be able to complete what he has a chance to do, and what it adds to our team, is a positive thing.”

Stroughter won’t mince words. He wants to take advantage of his second chance.

“I can’t wait,” Stroughter said. “I’ve been hitting the weights hard lately. I’m just having fun, and want to enjoy myself. I can’t even speak in words what is going to happen. I feel comfortable with my ability and my team. I’m ready to lead the team places we’ve never been before. That’s my goal. That’s the truth.”

Stroughter was expected to be the physical and emotional leader of the team last season. He was coming off an All-American year as a receiver and punter returner.

After three people close to him passed away in a short time during the offseason, it had a drastic effect on him. He wasn’t the same fun-loving person people grew accustomed to seeing.

It reached the point he had to leave the team in the middle of training camp and didn’t return until after the first game. And then it was still a challenge.

“I just learned how to talk to people about things,” Stroughter said. “I talked with friends and family, and it helped.”

Life started to return to normal but he had one of his kidneys lacerated at Arizona State. It was a serious injury, but he didn’t notice how it happened. No one can tell where it happened when looking at the game video.

Stroughter walked off the field in disgust with the loss just like the rest of the players. He even worked out with the team the following day.

It was obvious when he went to the bathroom afterward and looked down. There was blood in his urine.

“That’s when you could see the effects,” Stroughter said. “You could see it, and I went uh, oh. It was a shock - a big one.”

That sent him to the sidelines to recover mentally and physically. He could do nothing that could strain himself because the injury could get worse.

Waiting to heal was his most difficult time. Running and lifting weights were how he vented out frustrations of life.

“When you take that away from me, I had to find other ways,” Stroughter said. “I found playing the flute and listening to flute music. That was my new therapy.”

Light running workouts were allowed about three months later. He could lift weights again in January. His latest checkup revealed he was fully healed.

Stroughter stayed close to the team during recovery and advised younger players. Paperwork to the Pacific-10 Conference office was filed to request a season back.

The decision was simple, but his fate was in the hands of others. He could have played his last game for OSU, but had to wait until March to find out.

“It helped me a lot,” Stroughter said of sitting out. “You see and observe things differently when you are on the sideline than when you are on the field. I wasn’t taking things for granted, but I appreciate things more. I did overlook little things that got me here to this point. It was hard watching, especially how the team developed. I watched and thought I could do something to help, but I couldn’t.”

Even before Stroughter knew he could return, he was back in his position of leadership with the team. He helped organize offseason player-only workouts.

The skill position players got together to run routes and have the quarterbacks throw to them. Stroughter was already trying to re-establish his repoire with the quarterbacks.

“It’s an advantage for us to have Sammie back on offense, especially on special teams,” quarterback Lyle Moevao said. “He’s such a weapon. There are so many things we can do now with Sammie, James Rodgers and Darrell Catchings.”

Stroughter doesn’t have any resentment over what happened. He could have been in line for a shot at the NFL this year, but must wait.

Being forced to stay here another year he’ll be able to finish his sociology degree after the fall term. He grew spiritually and is ready for whatever else is ahead.

“It all happened for the right reasons,” Stroughter said. “The Lord has his plan.”